A. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to the art of methods and apparatuses for exercise treadmills. More specifically, it pertains to apparatuses and methods for various features of exercise treadmills, including but not limited to, one touch program buttons, a belt tensioning device, resilient support members to provide shock absorption, and mechanisms for easy treadmill maintenance.
B. Description of the Related Art
It is known in the art that exercise combined with a well balanced diet is important for good general health. Many exercise through various means including working out at home, taking advantage of good weather by jogging or walking outside, and many frequent their local gym. Regardless of the location, walking, jogging, and running are some of the most common and popular methods of achieving a cardiovascular work-out. For the exerciser's convenience, a treadmill is often utilized at home or at a gym. Treadmills to date, have served their intended purpose. They provide a variety of functions, including various speeds, various deck inclination, shock absorption, and even foldability for easy storage when the treadmill is not in use. However, despite the numerous features found in treadmills today, many problems still exist with respect to programming keys, treadmill maintenance, and the ability to maintain proper tension on the treadmill belt.
With respect to programming keys on a console, normally, there are pictures of various programs on the console. As a user chooses which program to use, they must press a “select” key and then an “enter” key. The user may also need to use arrows keys to scroll through the various program choices. This may become cumbersome and frustrating to the user as they try to switch between programs. As such, there is a need in the art to construct a console for a treadmill that has one-touch programmability.
Another problem in the art is the ability to maintain proper belt tension on the treadmill belt. To date, there are mechanisms available to tighten the belt by increasing the distance between the front and rear roller. Usually, it is the rear roller that is adjusted while the front roller remains stationary. It is difficult to use because current devices utilize Allen screws. In some embodiments, the user has two allen screws. One has to be turned clockwise, and the other has to be turned counterclockwise. One of the problems associated with these designs is the awkwardness of fitting an allen wrench into the screws for adjustment.
Another problem with belt tensioning devices is the lack of a visual indicator. Without a visual indicator, a consumer can easily over tighten one side of the rear roller so that it is farther or closer than the other side. If one of the treadmill rollers is even a little bit off, meaning not parallel with the other roller, it can cause the belt to wander and the motor to overstress. By providing a visual indicator on both sides of the roller, the user can easily adjust the distance between the rollers for even belt tension. By providing instant feedback to the user, the adjustment is easy and no guesswork is required.
Still yet, another problem faced by treadmill users is maintenance. Over time, belts need to be lubricated in order to reduce friction between the belt and the deck. The difficulty in lubricating the belt is obtaining access to the deck. Normally, when a user decides to clean the underside of a deck, the preferred method is to lift the belt, which may cause the belt to stretch, and to slide something underneath it. More and more treadmills are manufactured where one side of the belt actually disappears under the side paneling. Because the belt is trained around the rollers at high tension, it is very difficult to access the deck without torquing the belt, stretching the belt, or causing the belt to lift up. As such, there is a need in the art to provide access to the belt so that it can be easily lubricated without compromising the characteristics of the belt.